Presser foot and guide mechanism for sewing machines



7 July 20, 1965' F. A. EGERT 3,195,486

PRESSER FOOT AND GUIDE MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed March 22, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

- BY FRANCIS A. EGERT HTTORIUEV July 20, 1965 F. A. EGERT 3,195,486

PRESSER FOOT AND GUIDE MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed March 22, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I 't- IIIII'IIII'IIIIIIII.

INVENTOR 95g. BY FRANCIS A. EGERT RTTORN E V United States Patent 3,195,486 PRESSER F601 AND GUIDE MEtZI-HANHSM FQR SEWING MAQHZNES Francis A. Egert, Philadelphia, Pa, assignor to The Wool 0 Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Mar. 22, 1963, Ser. No. 267,285 Claims. (Cl. 112-139) This invention relates to an improved sewing machine presser foot and guide mechanism for use during the sewing of braided rugs and an improved method of sewing the same.

Braided rugs are generally held together by Zig zag or overseaming stitches the braid being coiled in an ever widening loop until the desired size is obtained. In order to obtain a more pleasing and distinctive appearance for the rug, the braid may be formed with a tufted portion. That is, the braid comprises two coextensive sections, i.e., a double braid, initially formed by strands having a tigure 8 shape, the lower part being wrapped about a core while the upper part is not wrapped about a core but is cut so as to produce tufts formed by elongated, flexible strand sections.

This invention provides a presser foot and guide mechanisrn particularly useful in the sewing of braids having tufted or flexible portions.

In one embodiment of my invention there is provided a presser foot device attached to the presser foot bar of the sewing machine. The presser foot device comprises two presser feet each one movable linearly at an angle to the other and on opposite sides of the needle. The feet are movable from an upper position to a lower position in engagement with the braids to be sewn together and each foot is lockable in its lower position. A central presser foot has an opening to allow passage therethrough of the needle and the central presser foot has a guide rib interfitting with the braids to be sewn together to aid in the proper alignment of the braids relative to each other.

Further, of the two braids being sewn together, the inner braid abuts an inn-er guide, the latter including a bulbous part overlying the inner braid, maintaining the latter correctly positioned against the sewing machine work surface and in correct alignment relative to the needle. The inner guide further includes elongated stationary separator fingers for guiding the tufts to the sides, the separator fingers abutting the central presser but permitting vibratory movement of the latter relative to the separator fingers. The outer braid abuts against an outer guide, the latter including an enlarged part urging a part of the outer braid (forward of the sewing needle) toward the inner braid somewhat more than the amount necessary to correctly align and position the outer braid relative to the inner braid and the sewing needle, so as to insure that the two braids will be closely abutting each other when sewn together.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention, the principles of the invention, and the best mod-e in which I have contemplated applying such principles will more fully appear from the following description and accompanying drawings in illustration thereof.

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of the sewing machine portion incorporating the presser foot and guide mechanism of this invention, the view being partly in section and taken along the line 11 in FIG. 5

FIG. 2 is an enlarged front elevation of the right hand portion of the presser foot mechanism with the latter illustrated in its upper, retracted position and one cover plate removed to show the internal arrangement;

- FIG. 3 is a plan view of a braided rug of the type on which this invention is used during manufacture of the we;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the presser foot and guide mechanism illustrated in FIG. 1 with certain portions being shown in section;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are top views taken generally along the lines 5-5 and 6-6, respectively, in FIG. 4; and

FiGS. 7 and 8 are front views, mostly in section, taken generally along the lines 7-7 and 8-8, respectively, in FIG. 5.

Referring to the drawings, the improved presser foot and guide mechanism is incorporated in a sewing machine comprising a head element 12 and a table 14. The sewing machine head element 12 includes a vertically movable presser foot bar 16 biased downwardly toward braids 18 and 20 to be sewn together which, of course, are placed on the table 14. As illustrated, the braids 18 and 29 have tufted upper portions and the lower portions are sewn together with zig zag stitches by a needle 22 carried by a needle bar extending from the head 12.

The improved presser device lib comprises two linearly movable pressers 24 and 26 disposed at an acute angle to each other in the general shape of a V, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the presser 24 on the side of the rug being formed extending down more than the presser 26. The pressers 24 and 26 have lower feet portions 28 and 30 with lower V-shaped surfaces 32 and 34 which bear down upon the two solid core parts of the braids being sewn together and because the pressers 24 and 26 are at an angle to each other, the braids 18 and 20 are biased toward each other. The feet portions 28 and 30 are closed by plates 29 to prevent jamming of the tufts.

The pressers 24 and 26 are preferably each formed integral from one piece of metal, the feet portions 28 and 30 being of narrower width than the slide portions 36 and 38 and the foot 39 being longer than the foot 28, as illustrated in FIG. 5. The slide portions 36 and 38 are received in grooves 40 defined by spaced bars 42, secured to the support plate 44 by screws 46 which extend through cover plates 43 and 5%).

The pressers 24 and 26 are biased upwardly by torsion springs 52 and 54 and in FIG. 2 the cover plate has been removed, the spring having one end fixed by extending into a hole in the plate 44 and the other end biased into abutment with a pin 62 carried by the presser 26 for biasing the presser 26 upwardly. The presser 24 is similarly provided with a pin and one end of the spring 52 biases it upwardly while the spring 52 is coiled about a screw 56 and also extends into a hole in the plate 44. As illustrated, a part of the plate 44 is received in a slot formed in the presser foot bar 16 and secured theretoby a suitable screw 64, FIG. 4.

The cover plates 56 are provided with slots 63 through which extend the lower parts of the pressers 24 and 26 and upperward movement of the pressers is limited by engagement of the pins 69 and 62 with the curved parts of the cover plates defining the upper end of the slots 63. The pressers 24 and 26 are movable by handle portions downwardly against their spring biases into engagement with the braids until the locks 88 and 81 of latches 82 and 83 enter into the grooves 84 at which time the pressers 24 and 26 become locked into their lower positions. The locks and 81 are pivotally connected by pins to links 87 and 88, the latter being pivotal intermediate their ends on screws 89 and 94) carried by the plate 44. The link 87 is biased by a spring 92 clockwise about screw 89 while the link 38 is biased counterclockwise by a spring 93.

Between the pressers 24 and 26 is a central presser 66 also attached to the plate 44 at its upper end portion by suitable screws 67. The lower portion of the central presser 66 extends downwardly at an inclined angle and then is turned sharply to define a generally horizontal central plate or foot 69 and a surface 68 having a hole 70 through which extends the needle 22, the hole 70 be- 7 ing wide enough (as illustrated in FIG. 1) to permit lateral movement of the needle for zig zag stitching. 1 The part of the surface 68 forward, that is, to the right of the needle 22 is depressed, as at 71, on opposite sides of the 1 center of the surface, as viewed in FIG. 2, todefine a rib 72, this depression being indicated by the {dotted line in FIG. 4, and having its greatest depth at the right, hand edge of the rib 72 and decreasing in depth to a'minimurn at the left hand edge of the Ill) 72.

the braid over toward the needle 22,50 thatthe part of the b1'aid'20passing by the enlarged guide part 101 is closer to the braid 13 than the braid part passing by the guide finger 102. Both the enlarged part 101 and the finger ltlz'slope toward the needle, as illustrated, al through the slope of the enlarged part is greater'thanzthat of the finger 102. a

The inner braid is likewise guided toward the needle 22.

but for a very short distance and forward (or to the right as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5) of the enlarged outer guide part 101 by a sheet metal inner guide 1115C The iner guide 165 comprises a vertical surface 166 and fitting in sliding relation with the underside of the bulbous part 167,,as illustrated in FIG; 8.

Two sheet metal separators or fingers 110 and111 extend from the bulbous part 107 to an annularv shield 112 which surrounds the lower part of the central presser the central presser 66. The

4 L spring bias of the presser foot bar 16 (due to a spring within the head 12). forcefully urges the surfaces32, 34 and 68 against the braids and resists the upward'force imposed on the braids by the conventional serrated dogs 120 tending to move the braids upwardly as theyare moved by the dogs 120 past the needle 22.

The lower portions of braids 18 and 21) which are wrapped about the cores are generally circular in crosssection but the spring forceon the presser foot bar 16 transmitted to the surfaces 32, 34, and 68 deforms the lower braid portions into the shapes illustrated in FIG. 1

resulting in'flattened parts of the adjoining braids "through which the needle extends in the zigzag stitching. While the braidtends tospring back to its original shape after the sewing operation, a small part of the braidin the immediate vicinity of the stitching tends to retain its flattenedf shape. 4

7 Referring to FIG, 1 it should be particularly noted that the combination of the central presser plate 69 and the separator fingers 111) and 111 results in only the bottom parts'of the adjoining braids being sewn together with none of the stitching extending through any of the tufts.

66 above the central plate or foot 69. The outer, side lower surfaces of the shield 112 are flush with the periphery of the plate 69, as illustratedin FIG. 1, and overhang the front of the plate'or foot 69,.the latter being turned upwardly at the right end as viewed in FIG. 4-, to receive a screw114 which secures the shield 112 to the plate or foot 69.

The left hand ends of the separator fingers 11d and 111 have enough resilience to frictionally engage the right hand partof the shield 112 and maintain their proper positions even though the shield 112 may vibrate. LAs

illustrated in FIG. 7, the separator fingers 11G and'111 presser plate 69 and shield 112' between the fingers 110 Since the upward force imposed on thebraids by the dogs 12d varies, because the dogs 120 move along an arcuate path in one direction to feed thebraid (leftwardly) toward the needle 22, FIG. 4, and in a linear, lowerpath (out of engagement with the braids) in the opposite direction, there is some slight reciprocable vertical movement of the presser feet 24'and 26, the central presser 66 and the shield 112. The lack of a rigid connection between the shield 112 andithe fingers 11 0 and 111 freely permits such movement while the fingers 110 and111 tend to remain relatively stationary.

The outer guide 1% includes an extension140 with an elongated slot 141 "through which extends a screw .142 for securing the outer guide 100 on top of the table 14, the screw 1 3 2 being received in a threaded hole in the table 14. 'Theinner guide 165 has a forwardU-shaped extension 145 interfittingwith an edge portion ofthe table 14 and a finger 147 underlying the extension-149,

' and, secured against the surface of the table, 14'by the extension 1411, the extension 140 being folded backfupon itself into an underleaf'148 to compensate for the thick-' ness of the finger M7, see FIGS. 5 and 7.

The braids have been heretofore described as comprising strands formed ;on the general shape of a figure-8 with the'lower portion of the. figure- 8 being wrapped about acore formed by strands placed lengthwise whereas the upper part has no such core and is cut to formgelonand 111 when the plate 69. is loweredto theposition illustrated in FIG. 1 from its upper position, not'illustrated.

Before starting the sewing operation the pressers 24' and 26 are raised to their upper positions and the presser foot bar 16 is also raised. The various parts are proportioned so that when the presser foot bar 16 is raised to its upper position the braids 18 and 20 just fitunder the surface 68. The'pressers 24 and26 are then lowered man:

ually against the upward forces of the springs andlocked in their lower positions at which time the surfaces '32 @mechanism describedherein-would alsofacilitate"the and 34 engage thebraids 18and 20 respectively near the 112 and that, for. instance, none become disposed to the left (as viewed in FIG; 1) of the presser foot 28, Similarly, in connection with'the braid 20, all its tufts are.

disposed between the shield 112 and the presser foot 30 and none are disposed to the rightof the presser foot 30. Thereafter, the presser foot bar 16 is released which lowers the plate 44 including the pressers 24 and 26 and are disposed betweenthe presser foot 28 and the shield juncture between the upperand the lower part of the figure.-8" is sewn'together to retain the strands about the core. I a

If thebraids were formedas heretofore described but not cut at the upper part of the figure-8 it is seen that.

the lower or core part of the figure-8 would be rela tively stiff or solid,.since it is wrapped about'a core, but the upper part is relatively flexible sinceit is not wrappedg about a core, and the improved presser foot and guide sewing of suchbraids. r Havin'gdescribed the invention, I claim:

1. A presser foot and guide mechanism for a sewing. machine having a reciprocating needle, a presser foot bar and a table, said; mechanism comprising a presser foot device attached to'the presser foot bar of the sewing machine, said presser foot device comprising'two'feet each one movable linearly at an angleto the other and on opposite sides of said needle, said feet being each also movable from an upper position to a lower position wherein said feet are adapted to engage with the braids to be sewn together, means for locking each foot in its lowerposition, anda central presser plate having an opening to allow passage therethrough of said needle, said central presser plate having a guide rib adapted to interfit with the braids to be sewn together, and a shield carried by said central presser plate about said needle, said shield and feet defining two spaces on opposite sides of said needle when said feet are in their lower positions into which portions of the braids extend during sewing thereof.

2. A presser foot and guide mechanism for a sewing machine having a reciprocating needle, a presser foot bar and a table comprising a presser foot device attached to said presser foot bar of the sewing machine, said presser foot device comprising two feet each one movable linearly at an angle to the other and on opposite sides of said needle, said feet being each also movable independently of the other from an upper position to a lower position wherein said feet are adapted to engage with the braids to be sewn together, means for locking each foot independently of the other in its lower position, a central presser plate intermediate said feet and having an opening to allow passage therethrough of said needle, said central presser plate having a guide rib adapted to interfit with the braids to be sewn together, an inner guide on said table against which the inner braid abuts, said inner guide including a bulbous part adapted to overlie the inner braid, an outer guide on said table against which the outer braid abuts, and said outer guide including an enlarged part adapted to urge a part of said outer braid forward of said sewing needle toward the inner braid.

3. The structure recited in claim 2 wherein two sheet metal fingers extend between the bulbous part of the inner guide and the central presser plate, one of said fingers adapted to overlie one braid and the other finger adapted to overlie the outer braid to be sewn together,

and said fingers adapted to bias the braids downwardly against said table.

4. The structure recited in claim 1 wherein two torsion springs are provided in the presser device one for each foot to bias the foot toward the upper position, and said means includes two latches one for each foot and spring biased toward engagement with the foot.

5. A presser foot and guide mechanism for a sewing machine having a needle, a presser foot bar and a table, said mechanism comprising a central presser foot carried by the presser foot bar of the sewing machine, said central presser foot having a hole to permit passage of the needle therethrough, a shield about said needle and carried by said central presser foot, the action of said sewing machine during sewing vibrating said shield and central presser foot during sewing, a stationary guide forward of said shield relative to the feeding direction attached to the sewing machine table and having resilient fingers extending rearwardly therefrom and abutting the shield, whereby the shield and central presser foot are free to move vertically relative to said fingers.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,243,809 10/ 17 Chalman 112-235 1,536,385 5/25 Heap 112139 1,658,915 2/28 Baynard 112-235 3,054,367 9/62 Loiselle 112-152 JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner. ROBERT V. SLOAN, Examiner. 

1. A PRESSER FOOT AND GUIDE MECHANISM FOR A SEWING MACHINE HAVING A RECIPROCATING NEEDLE, A PRESSER FOOT BAR AND A TABLE, SAID MECHANISM COMPRISING A PRESSER FOOT DEVICE ATTACHED TO THE PRESSER FOOT BAR OF THE SEWING MACHINE, SAID PRESSER FOOT DEVICE COMPRISING TWO FEET EACH ONE MOVABLE LINEARLY AT AN ANGLE TO THE OTHER AND ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID NEEDLE, SAID FEET BEING EACH ALSO MOVABLE FROM AN UPPER POSITION TO A LOWER POSITION WHEREIN SAID FEET ARE ADAPTED TO ENGAGE WITH THE BRAIDS TO BE SEWN TOGETHER, MEANS FOR LOCKING EACH FOOT IN ITS LOWER POSITION, AND A CENTRAL PRESSER PLATE HAVING AN OPENING TO ALLOW PASSAGE THERETHROUGH OF SAID NEEDLE, SAID CENTRAL PRESSER PLATE HAVING A GUIDE RIB ADAPTED TO INTERFIT WITH THE BRAIDS TO BE SEWN TOGETHER, AND A SHIELD CARRIED BY SAID CENTRAL PRESSER PLATE ABOUT SAID NEEDLE, SAID SHIELD AND FEET DEFINING TWO SPACES ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID NEEDLE WHEN SAID FEET ARE IN THEIR LOWER POSITIONS INTO WHICH PORTIONS OF THE BRAIDS EXTEND DURING SEWING THEREOF. 